How To Organize Scrapbook Supplies

It's great to sit down with your scrapbook and just let those creative juices flow. You can't wait to start—you've got your ribbons, glitter, foam art, paper, beads, pictures, etc.—the works. However, you may have one little problem. Exactly where did you put all that stuff?

If you want to save time looking for the glue or the colored paper, then it's time to get organized. Organizing your scrapbook supplies can be just as fun as scrapbooking itself. You can get just as creative, too! You can add a personal touch to biscuit tins, shoe boxes, plastic bins and other containers when you decorate and label them for your craft materials.

Here are the steps on how you can organize your scrapbook supplies:

Materials. Be ready with containers of all sizes. It's best to be proportional: small things in smaller boxes, big things in bigger carts. You can store your supplies on your craft desk or in the desk drawers. If you want your things to be out of reach of children, you can put up shelves near your work area. You can also buy paper trays, carts and small cabinets that have several compartments. You can also be resourceful and find old but neat bins and boxes that you can stack on top of one another.

Organize according to function. Store the things that you use most often in one place. For example, the scissors, glue and glue gun can all go in the same drawer. Sort out your art paper in one tray and your felt paper in another. You can easily get your writing and drawing materials from their tumblers or boxes. Keep your yarn on one kind of spool and your ribbons on another. For the different colors of ribbons, you can use bobbins that unwind conveniently.

Sort according to size and type. It's easy enough to put photographs and other pictures in one drawer, but the smaller supplies like beads and other ornaments need attention. Keep each kind in one compartment of a small box or cabinet. You might even enjoy sorting according to color. Not only will they be easy on the eye, they'll be easy to get your hands on, too!

Define your space. While your choice of containers will depend on your personal taste, you also want to maximize the space and materials available to you. Designate your arts and crafts area. If you have your own arts and crafts desk, make sure that only your scrapbook supplies are allowed here. It has to be off limits to your work documents, utility bills, kids' homework, and other things that aren't part of your creative clutter. Stack up your trays and boxes on the desk, all ready to be used.

Make space. If you don't have your own desk, then you can make the dinner table or the kitchen counter yours, too. Just find a bin that's large enough to hold trays or boxes containing your sorted scrapbook supplies. Store the bin where the kids can't get to it. Whenever it's your turn to use the table, pull out your bin and everything you need is there.

Organizing your scrapbook supplies saves you precious time. It also makes scrapbooking hassle-free, and therefore more relaxing. So pull out your supply bins, sit back down with your scrapbook, and enjoy!